Keeping Your Suede Shoes Stylish (And Our Products That Can Help)

Whether you’ve got a pair of blue suede shoes or a sturdy pair of boots made for walkin’, you must keep your suede shoes in tip-top shape.

We know how easily suede can suffer stains and how high-maintenance they are but luckily, we can take care of our favorite shoes with zero hassle.

Not 100% sure how to do it? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about caring for your suede shoes.

What Is Suede?  

Before we dive into how to protect suede shoes it’s important to understand what makes suede so special. Leather is made from animal hide, from cow to crocodile, whereas suede is made from the same process but is the softer underside of the hide. 

Suede is the thin, porous middle layer that gets cuts away from the hide’s exterior layer. As suede is the undercover of animal, it’s protected from the elements so it maintains its flexibility.

What Is Nubuck?  

You may have come across nubuck when researching suede shoe care. Nubuck doesn’t come to form an inner layer of hiding but is full-grain leather that’s been smoothed to give it a nap.

Because of this, nubuck looks like suede but it’s not as soft and is heavier as it’s the hide’s outer layer. Even though it doesn’t need as much maintenance, you must give it the same TLC as you would with suede.

How to Take Care Of Your Suede Shoes  

Regardless of how old your suede shoes are, care for your shoes every one to two weeks for regular wear or once a month for irregular wear.

You'll Need...

For best results, use our Premium Suede and Nubuck Cleaner to restore everything from your shoes to your computer bag. It safely eliminates dirt, oil, and water spots without compromising the suede, nap, or color. 

If you already have a suede brush and eraser, fantastic, but if not our Premium Suede Brush Set has every element ready to revitalize your suede shoes. 

Method

1. The first step to suede care is using a suede brush to clean off any dust or dirt when they’re dry.
The special brush has a stiff bristle that cuts thorough grime in the most effective way. Remember to always brush suede in the same direction to keep the nap uniform.

The suede brush also restores the suede’s pile, so it retains its well-groomed look. Don’t worry if there’s a temporary change of color, it just means the nap is fluctuating.

2. If you're tackling stubborn stains on your suede shoes that still aren’t coming out, use the eraser from our Premium Suede Brush Set to gently scrub it off.    

3. Apply a small amount of Premium Suede and Nubuck Cleaner to the tough areas and let it soak in for 15 minutes. One application may be enough but if the stain is especially greasy, you can repeat the process until the stain completely disappears.

Don’t worry if your suede gets wet, just wait for it to dry. If you’ve sprayed too much, dab it with a paper towel and let it naturally dry.

4. Using your eraser, scrub down the area and then give it a final brush to remove any leftover residue and to help restore the nap. After brushing, you’ll notice there are no scuffs and the nap is unformed, giving your shoes a polished look. 

You’ll notice a build-up of residue on your floor that’s been brushed off, proving that it’s essential to regularly keep your suede and nubuck shoes clean.  

Other Precautions to Take 

Alongside regular cleaning, you should go the extra mile to increase your suede shoe’s lifespan. For instance, invest in a shoehorn and use it whenever putting on your shoes. Shoehorns let you slip on your shoes easily without damaging the shoe’s counter. 

Or insert shoe stretchers for 15 minutes after removing your shoes so they have time to breathe. When we wear shoes, the inner lining and insole absorb most of our foot perspiration so it’s important to dedicate time so a majority of the moisture can evaporate.

Shoe stretchers also remove any odor, maintains the shoe’s shape, and smooths any wrinkling that occurs after wearing shoes for a long time. Even if you can’t get shoetrees for every pair of shoes, use them on the ones you’ve most recently worn. 

Another fantastic way of protecting your suede shoes is by storing them inside a shoe bag or cloth cover. This will stop any dirt or grime accumulating which can dry out your shoes. You should consider a shoe bag especially for those special-occasion pairs that don’t get as much attention.

That's The Best Way to Care for Suede Shoes

Taking care of your suede shoes is the key to keeping them fresh and extending their lifespan. You should clean them once a week for regular shoes with our Premium Suede Brush set as it includes everything you need. 

Or use our Premium Suede and Nubuck Cleaner as it tackles the toughest of stains without compromising the material, so they have an enviable, polished look. You should also store suede shoes in a shoe bag when they’re not in use to prevent any dust build-up. Happy polishing!

Looking for a safe and effective suede cleaning kit, then we'd love to hear from you. Check out our collection here.